lawn mower blade

[Jim Fitzgibbon]

Have any of you guys ever fashioned a knife blade
from a ole lawn mower blade?
:hmm: Fly

 

[Andrew smith]

I have never used a lawn mower blade but I have heard of them being used and it will work. I have heard though that the steel is varying in quality. I have several blades lying around that I will use for that purpose, I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

[Fred_Dwyer]

Is that a rotary mower type or reel mower?

 

[crockett]

I used the shorter- edger blades for penny knives. I don't think the steel is that great. You can get 440C for just a few dollars and when you consider all the work involved in making a blade it just doesn't seem worthwhile to mess with inferior steel.
The Industrial hacksaw blades are thin- maybe 3/32 and at least years ago had good steel although today maybe only the teeth contain good steel- I don't know.
If you want to temper yourself then get 01, etc.

 

[lonehunter]

when you consider all the work involved in making a blade it just doesn't seem worthwhile to mess with inferior steel.

:applause: :applause: :thumbsup:

 

[LRB]

Many lawn mower blades made today are not high carbon steel. For liability reasons, the thought is, better they bend than break and become an injurious missle. At one time, they were great. That time is about past. If you know it to be 20 or more years old, it may be good, or maybe not, but that sort of steel is called "mystery steel", and there is seldom any practical way to find out what it is, or how to re-heat treat it. If in the case of the blade being original to the mower, you can possibly find out from the manufacturor of the mower, but that depends on how bad you want to use it for a knife. 1080/84 steel will make you a fine blade using primitive heat treat methods, and it is very inexpensive steel as far as high carbon steel goes. I would not recommend 440-C, or any other high tech steel unless you are willing to send it out for heat treat, which will cost you a small fortune when two way shipping is included. 440-C cannot be heat treated by simple methods. Not to any degree of good return.

 

[BillinOregon]

I've heard some of them were 5160, but agree that putting a lot of work into mystery steel may not pencil out in the end.

 

[gmarc]

Some are hi-carbon, but sold in the "as forged" or "as stamped' condition vs. hardened and tempered.

You may try the spark test, followed by heating and quenching a small piece.

The proof of the pudding, etc.

 

[Ken Cormier]

Never made a knife out of one but have made a couple into fleshing bars. A little 4in grinder work and a couple wood slabes and a way ya go. :2

 

[fatboy]

If your at one of the estate sales were there is older farm equipment look around you may find some good old mower blades. I think they are like 1060 or 1080 steel first blade I forged was from a mower blade.

 

[Birdman]

I've got a 48" cut lawn tractor, went to take the blades off to sharpen them n it's a good thing I did. The center blade where it bends up just back of the cutting edge was completely worn away and the two side blades were showing magor wear in the same area. these blade were only three years old and had not been used hard at all. My point in all this is that many of the blades sold today are crap n most likel;y won't make much of a knife, like alot of the guys have said, look for OLD blades (age wise) to find semi decent steel. Best bet though is to spend a few bucks n get something that will make a good knife or hunt yard sales n resale shops even Goodwill on occasion will have decent knives ya can regrind n modify to your likeing. just some thoughts YMHS Birdman

 

[LRB]

Very good advice :thumbsup:

 

[mazo kid]

I've heard some of them were 5160, but agree that putting a lot of work into mystery steel may not pencil out in the end.

About 25 years ago I made a knife from a mower blade. Was about all finished shaping it, etc. when I had the idea that maybe this was not a good idea. However,not knowing any different, I heated the blade red hot, quenched it, and tempered it. Seemed to have turned out OK and holds a good edge. Lucky??!! Guess so as I have absolutely no knowledge of steels.

 

[BillinOregon]

Mazo: Good for you! You must have gotten a blade when they were still dependably decent steel. Me, I never get lucky like that ...

 

[Lt Frank]

I have a throwing knife made out of a chainsaw bar.

 

[chuckr1952]

Fly, I was in small engine repair for 20 odd years, the old craftsman and snapper blades were really tempered but I dont know about any thing made in the last 10 years. 80% of all blades used to be made by rotary corp out of dallas tx, very few lawnmower companys made thier own blades, Iv sharpened thousands of blades by hand and you didnt know the temper untill you put it on a grinder you would just have to experiment,also most blades now are slightly concave,still it would be fun to try. good luck chuckr